The third ink in this month's Ink Drop is J. Herbin Gris Nuage. J. Herbin was established in the year 1670 and is the oldest name in ink production in the world. The company namesake, J. Herbin, was a sailor who ventured on many journeys to India and brought back a recipe for sealing wax. They perfected this recipe over the years and became famous for the quality of his seals. By 1700 he was making inks as well, and soon was making exclusive ink for Louis XIV and Victor Hugo. Both of these ink formulas reside in their headquarters in Paris, France.

I had actually been considering picking up a bottle of Gris Nuage in my quest for my favorite grey ink, but I'd incidentally found my favorite before I had a chance. I was glad to see it included in April's Ink Drop because I'd been wanting to try it. I don't think it'll beat Faber-Castell Stone Grey as my favorite, it is definitely high up on the list.

Gris Nuage is a fairly low saturated ink, but that adds to the nice pale grey color on the paper. It is a moderately wet ink that behaves quite well on my Rhodia pad. No feathering or bleedthrough to speak of. This is definitely my favorite ink in this Ink Drop, and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a middle of the road grey ink.

You can pick up a 30 mL bottle from Goulet or a similar retailer for $11.00.